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I am curious if using a vessel with an airlock will change the outcome of having mold grow on top. I am thinking that using the cheesecloth on top to allow c02 to escape is also allowing too much oxygen in. I am going to start my batch this weekend and will be using a 1500ml ball canning jar with an airlock I put on top. I will report how it goes in case anything is different.

I am also wondering why in all the pictures it seems like everyone is only filling up their container about 1/3 of the way up ? This could also be leaving too much headspace. I am going to fill my batch almost all the way up to the top.
 
@kevinstan: Keep in mind, that stuff like this was traditionally done in a more or less open-air type configuration. An airlock isn't likely to make much difference, IMHO.
 
I have some liquid sake yeast in my frozen yeast bank. It's about 5-10ml of yeast in glycerol. Id like to try and use this for a batch; any suggestions on how to make a starter? I was thinking either a small dme starter just to wake them up and see if they're viable then pitch to the rice. Or just pitch directly to a small amount of rice and add that to the larger batch. I'm leaning towards the dme method since I know what it should look like if they're still good.
 
I have some liquid sake yeast in my frozen yeast bank. It's about 5-10ml of yeast in glycerol. Id like to try and use this for a batch; any suggestions on how to make a starter? I was thinking either a small dme starter just to wake them up and see if they're viable then pitch to the rice. Or just pitch directly to a small amount of rice and add that to the larger batch. I'm leaning towards the dme method since I know what it should look like if they're still good.

You might run into trouble with just the yeast because the koji or amalayse enzyme is required to break the sugars in the rice to make them accessible to the yeast. The koji doesn't behave like the yeast and does not grow to my knowledge in starters etc. Maybe your yeast has amalayse enzyme in it which would work but still would not multiply in a starter so you would need to pitch enough.
 
Sonofgrok, how much fruit do you add to flavor the rice wine? Also , the lid is tight with cheese cloth? I am using mason jars, do I need to leave the top part of the lid in?

Please, anybody , how much fruit do I use to flavor my wine? Is there a ratio or something? Thanks.
 
Sonofgrok, how much fruit do you add to flavor the rice wine? Also , the lid is tight with cheese cloth? I am using mason jars, do I need to leave the top part of the lid in?

Please, anybody , how much fruit do I use to flavor my wine? Is there a ratio or something? Thanks.

Meh... I eyeball it. Usually maybe the juice from a cup of fruit or so. I would leave the center in on the mason jars.
 
Do you think the warm ambient temp is necessary for character, or will cooler (ambient ~68) be ok but just take longer?
 
First batch put together. My rice was really, really sticky. It was almost one congealed mass. Is it worth continuing?
 
Finally found yeast balls in a nearby oriental grocery and started my first batch yesterday. Thanks for the instructions and advice. I can't wait to see how it turns out.
 
Subscribed! I got some from a guy a few months back and it was awesome. I gave him some bottles that I got from Craigslist and he brought be a 12pk sampler of his beers and he included a couple bottles of his rice wine. I use to make sticky rice so I still have the steamer. Now off to the store to find the biggest jar I can find then to the asian market!
 
I brought a 1 liter bottle of this to a wine tasting party last night and the whole thing went very early on. It was very very popular.
 
For those who have harvested a batch, how do you describe the taste? I just gleaned the liquid from my first batch (jasmine rice), and mine has a sweet, very slightly vinegar taste, but far from unpleasant. What are other folks tasting?
Appears very cloudy (haven't settled it out in a fridge, but it might be fun to stir some food coloring in here for seasonal/holiday purposes :)
 
Just started my batch this evening. I used about 5 or 6 cups of cleaned and steamed jasmine rice, and two yeast balls. I have it in a 1500ml ball jar with airlock on top. I noticed a little bit of condensation on the inside about an hour after starting is this ok ? I don't want any nasties. Anyone else get condensation ? Also, is everyone stirring every day or just leaving it alone for the full 28-30 days then harvesting ?
 
Just started my batch this evening. I used about 5 or 6 cups of cleaned and steamed jasmine rice, and two yeast balls. I have it in a 1500ml ball jar with airlock on top. I noticed a little bit of condensation on the inside about an hour after starting is this ok ? I don't want any nasties. Anyone else get condensation ? Also, is everyone stirring every day or just leaving it alone for the full 28-30 days then harvesting ?

Not a problem. I always have nice condensation inside. And I don't stir.
 
Just started my batch this evening. I used about 5 or 6 cups of cleaned and steamed jasmine rice, and two yeast balls. I have it in a 1500ml ball jar with airlock on top. I noticed a little bit of condensation on the inside about an hour after starting is this ok ? I don't want any nasties. Anyone else get condensation ? Also, is everyone stirring every day or just leaving it alone for the full 28-30 days then harvesting ?

I stirred daily for one week. Condensation was no issue. I have both batches strained and in refrigerator, just need to strain one last time then pasteurize so it will be shelf stable. Very happy with the clarity, as I used a double layer of fine mesh and allowed it to drip drain overnight--no squeezing even though I still have a cloudy layer of wine and that portion will be bottled on its own and be used first.
The taste of the red yeast rice batch is very nice and the aromatics are still intensely fruity while I find the all white rice batch is smooth, a bit sweet but with vanilla tones. Will post photos of final product when I can.
 
Sara: I would love to see some pictures of the final product after it was strained to clear. This is something I will be trying also. I would like to see how clear you go it. Also interested in more detail of how you did it and what type of mesh you used.
 
can i use anything other than the yeast balls? ive looked here in the uk and they cost a fortune nearly £20 a bag around $40
 
Sara: I would love to see some pictures of the final product after it was strained to clear. This is something I will be trying also. I would like to see how clear you go it. Also interested in more detail of how you did it and what type of mesh you used.

I used these fine mesh jelly straining bags that have elastic built into the top, perhaps gallon capacity. I think I got a pack of three from eBay last year. Of course I have them in larger volume without the elastic.
 
Sara: do you by chance have any pictures that show how it cleared after straining ?
 
lakeslad said:
can i use anything other than the yeast balls? ive looked here in the uk and they cost a fortune nearly £20 a bag around $40

You should try finding koji-kin spores. That sucks that you don't have the balls available. In your case you may try researching how to cultivate your own koji rice. That is a ridiculous price for these.
 
saramc said:
I used these fine mesh jelly straining bags that have elastic built into the top, perhaps gallon capacity. I think I got a pack of three from eBay last year. Of course I have them in larger volume without the elastic.

I've gotten those before, probably from the same vendor. They are very similar to paint strainer bags, only with elastic tops. Based on the price difference I would go with the paint strainer bags.
 
I've gotten those before, probably from the same vendor. They are very similar to paint strainer bags, only with elastic tops. Based on the price difference I would go with the paint strainer bags.

The paint straining bags tend to break down, at least the ones I have seen.
 
I have been using the same paint straining bag for dry-hopping and straining wort for over a year without any sign of wear at all. Not even stained and all I do is give it a good rinsing in hot water between uses. And the paint straining bags I use have the elastic band around the opening. I bought them at Lowes. It may very well be that some break down, but mine haven't and they were cheap.

Edited to add: I have been tracking this thread since it started but have not yet been able to find the yeast balls locally. So far I have tried three Asian stores (one predominately Korean, one Chinese, and one "fusion") and no one working at any of them has had any idea what I was talking about. I may give up and pay the premium of ordering them online.
 
Well, I've got fuzzy rice. I there a bad mold color? Mine is definitely white and fuzzy, which I assume is koji. There are also grayish mold spots concentrated where the yeast is visible. Normal? Smells good, so it probably is good.

image-831474207.jpg
 
The mold scares me a bit. Waiting to see how this turns out. How is every one else harvesting from the mold ? Or straining from it ?
 
Started my first batch a week ago and everything seems to be working. Liquid is forming, smells fine, etc. Here is a link to making fermented rice, which i believe is the same process, but you eat the rice in earlier stage of process instead of letting it go to wine. This article indicates if mold forms to toss it out.

I'm no expert here, just learning, but thought I'd pass the info along.

http://carolynjphillips.blogspot.co...e.html#!/2011/05/homemade-fermented-rice.html
 
Well, I've got fuzzy rice. I there a bad mold color? Mine is definitely white and fuzzy, which I assume is koji. There are also grayish mold spots concentrated where the yeast is visible. Normal? Smells good, so it probably is good.

Looks good to me.

The mold scares me a bit. Waiting to see how this turns out. How is every one else harvesting from the mold ? Or straining from it ?

Just strain out the liquid. You will be fine.

Started my first batch a week ago and everything seems to be working. Liquid is forming, smells fine, etc. Here is a link to making fermented rice, which i believe is the same process, but you eat the rice in earlier stage of process instead of letting it go to wine. This article indicates if mold forms to toss it out.

I'm no expert here, just learning, but thought I'd pass the info along.

http://carolynjphillips.blogspot.co...e.html#!/2011/05/homemade-fermented-rice.html

The fungi is going to happen. If you DON'T have any spores then you are probably in more trouble. The Koji spores are what break down the rice so the yeast can eat it up. I am just guessing that sometimes they are easier to see than others.


Everyone need to RDWHAHBRW...
Relax dude while having a home brew rice wine?
 

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